In a thrilling encounter at the Estadio da Luz, FC Barcelona showed remarkable resilience as Raphinha scored a decisive goal late in the match, securing a dramatic 5-4 comeback victory against Benfica. The victory allows Barcelona to progress through the knockout stages of the Champions League, securing their position among the top 16 teams on Tuesday night.
Benfica had initially taken control, establishing a comfortable two-goal lead at half-time thanks to a Vangelis Pavlidis hat-trick. Barcelona, reflecting their recent struggles in La Liga, started the match with a shaky performance that raised questions.
Doubts hovered over coach Hansi Flick’s decision to start goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny after the Polish international’s costly errors allowed Benfica to score twice. However, Barcelona managed to stage a spectacular comeback, managing to seal the victory and maintain their second place in the group with 18 points after seven matches, as they look towards the final round of group matches scheduled for the week next.
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With this result, Benfica missed an opportunity to move closer to the coveted top eight places that guarantee qualification for the next phase, leaving them in a poor position in 18th place with just 10 points.
“We knew it would be a difficult match. I understand the challenges of playing here against Benfica. They have top players,” Raphinha said after the match. “Although we were 3-1 down, we kept our composure. It was a spectacular game for the fans, and everything was possible to win.”
Pavlidis was the first to open the scoring, converting a simple rebound two minutes into the match. Barcelona quickly equalized thanks to Robert Lewandowski who converted a penalty awarded by VAR for a foul on Alejandro Balde by Tomas Araujo.
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-However, Pavlidis quickly restored Benfica’s advantage when he took advantage of a hasty clearance from Szczesny to score into an empty goal. The Greek striker then completed his hat-trick by converting another penalty after Szczesny had fouled Kerem Akturkoglu in the 30th minute.
The visitors’ luck changed when Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin unwittingly contributed to Barcelona’s comeback by clearing the ball directly over Raphinha’s head, resulting in a comical goal that brought Barcelona within 3-2.
But just as Barcelona began to gain momentum, a Ronald Araujo own goal extended Benfica’s advantage to 4-2. Lewandowski managed to reduce the deficit with his second penalty of the evening in the 78th minute, setting the stage for a tense end to the match.
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With three minutes remaining, substitute Eric Garcia equalized for Barcelona by placing a powerful header on Pedri’s fantastic cross. With the game looking like it was heading for a draw, Raphinha delivered the decisive blow six minutes into added time, producing a quick counter-attack that left the home crowd in shock.
“It was an incredible victory. The team stayed focused throughout the match,” Garcia said. “Starting the match on the defensive makes things difficult, but qualifying for the next round was our main goal, and we achieved it.”
FC Barcelona face Atalanta in their final group match next Wednesday, while Benfica will look to rally against Juventus.
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